9 days: Dumler goes in for chunk of jail time

Chris Dumler leaves court April 2 after a petition had been filed to remove him from office.

photo by lisa provence

If you're a county supervisor trying to put a dent in a 30-day jail sentence, Friday, April 12, might seem like a good time to knock off nine days because the Board of Supervisors won't meet again until May 1. Supervisor Chris Dumler will be serving time from April 12 until April 21, according to Albemarle Charlottesville Regional Jail.

The initial crowd of journalists and protesters has died down since Dumler first began serving weekends March 8 for his sexual battery conviction. But spending 15 weekends in jail must get old, and given that he gets the first weekend off every month to serve in his JAG reserve unit, that puts him into July before he has a weekend to chill and not do time.

"He's still a member of the Army Reserve legal command," says Reserve spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Matt Lawrence. And when a reservist is convicted of a crime that occurs while not on duty, he or she is subject to an administrative process, which has a wide range of options, from doing nothing to discharge, explains Lawrence. "There is an administrative process that's open," he says.

Dumler did not respond to Hook requests for comment.

After Dumler's first weekend in jail, Lieutenant Colonel Martin Kumer at the jail asked a judge to change his starting time on Fridays from 6:30pm to 4:30pm– and not tell the public about it, citing "information we have received from the Albemarle County Police Department that Mr. Dumler's house was recently shot at by an unknown person," according to a court document. Judge William Barkley denied that request March 15.

The alleged death threat was first made public by then vice-chair of Albemarle Democrats Cynthia Neff in explaining why Dumler would not appear at a February 16 Dem breakfast. At that point, the alleged death threat had not been reported to police.

Some Dumler critics are skeptical. Randolph Byrd says that according to sources he's spoken with familiar with the case, "He heard some gunfire. I'm sorry, he lives in southern Albemarle. I hear gunfire daily."

The lack of information about the alleged threat perplexes Byrd. "A death threat is someone shooting into your house," he says. "If someone is firing bullets into a home, the public has a right to know. That's a dangerous situation."

"There was no evidence found regarding gunfire," says Albemarle police spokesperson Carter Johnson on April 15.

"We were investigating threats to Chris Dumler," says Johnson. "We assigned a detective and we took it very seriously. The case has been suspended and we've exhausted all leads."

In more Dumler news, his attorney, Jessica Phillips, filed a demurrer April 15 that objects to the 500-plus citizen-signed petition seeking his removal for "admitted and documented questionable behavior." Virginia code requires that a petition for the removal of an elected official state "with reasonable accuracy and detail the grounds or reasons for removal." The petition does not, says the demurrer.

Phillips also filed a motion to strike the bill of particulars that special prosecutor Mike Doucette submitted on April 11. In the bill of particulars, Doucette recounts the Dumler saga since he was arrested October 18 and jailed for forcible sodomy, including the canceled townhall meetings, the censure from his fellow supes, and his recusal from voting on Scottsville-centric issues like the police gun range in Keene as examples of neglect that had a "material adverse effect upon the conduct of his office."

There's no legal authority for the commonwealth to file a bill of particulars "to correct, modify, or otherwise amend a previously filed petition," argues Dumer's lawyer.

He's scheduled to be in court again May 20.

Updated April 15 with Dumler's U.S. Army Reserve status and the suspension of the death threat investigation.

Updated April 16 with the latest Dumler-removal-from-office court filings.

68 comments

Confused Easily April 12th, 2013 | 5:04pm

Good plan to finish off a bunch of his sentence prior to the judicial hearing on his removal petition. Finishing most of his jail time early will allow him to argue that the remaining part of his jail sentence will not impair his ability to serve on BoS.

Remember that he's not going to serve 60 days - only 30 with good time credit. Knocking out 9 days in a row will put him well on the way to finishing his sentence up by mid summer.

really? April 12th, 2013 | 5:10pm

You don't sound confused. Good job.

Roger_O_Vernout April 12th, 2013 | 5:30pm

See, this is what I have been saying all along! What's up with the death threat? Seems to me if that if there really were a gunshot at his house, that is something his neighbors need to know about. Did a bullet enter his house? A tree nearby? Ballistics done? Or, did Dumler just "say" that he "heard" gunshots near his home? I know that if someone shot at my house, or even if a stray hunter's bullet entered my yard, I'd call the police right away! So this convicted criminal with many folks asking for his head has (allegedly) someone shooting at his house and he waits 5 days!!!!! to report it????? No way. When someoe shoots at or near you, you call right away. What's the point in waiting? Remember, he had to be asked by the police to give a report, after they found out about the incident in the media. Something smells funny.

Virginia Pollack April 12th, 2013 | 5:41pm

Oh dear. His house was fired upon? Or is this just a story he made up? I want the police to tell us what happened. Why does the jail know about this but we don't? This is very worrisome. I remember we used to have to keep the dogs tied up during hunting season, what with so many hunters in the woods. We would hear the guns go off and tie up the dogs so they wouldn't wander and get shot. Is this what happened, or did someone really shoot at his house? Does anyone know? I used to make my children wear bright colored clothes too and stay close to the house. You cannot be too safe, but if there is a shooter out there, I want to know.

Doubting Thomas April 12th, 2013 | 6:49pm

What is the basis of this 'fact' in the news story: "...and given that he gets the first weekend off every month to serve in his JAG reserve unit"? None of the court documents say anything about having the first weekend of the month off for his "JAG reserve unit." Is the reporter simply assuming this? Please cite source for the benefit of the rest of us.

This is especially interesting since last weekend, Dumler was seen driving around downtown Scottsville...clearly not performing his reservist duties.

Cvillian April 12th, 2013 | 8:13pm

Interesting, Doubting Thomas! How did I miss him? We shall get to the bottom of this. If he is supposed to be serving in the Army reserves on the weekend, hence the reason for the 1st weekends off each month, and he's not, well, that sounds like a bit of fraud to me. It is worth looking into.

Cvillian April 12th, 2013 | 8:17pm

@Confused - 9 days in jail means that he is unavailable for constituent service for an entire week and a half! When this goes to court, you will see fellow supervisors called to testify that their job requires their continued communications on a daily basis. That is the reality of their job. This 9 days will actually harm Dumler in the court case. Watch!

Hunh? April 12th, 2013 | 8:27pm

Why does he get to pick and choose which days are convenient for him? For goodness sake put him in jail for 30 days and stop acting like puppets

Kumer claims ACPD informed jail that Dumler's house was recently shot at?! What do his neighbors have to say about this shooting? C'mon, and that was not front-page news?! Please, Hook - keep at ACPD and get at the truth!

Wake Up April 12th, 2013 | 9:31pm

If you people got a real life instead of living it through your computer, you'd understand there's a lot that goes on in this world that is withheld from "the public." The fact that you think you're going to know all or that the idiot reporters of Charlottesville will find it out for you is hysterically funny. Thanks for all your truly laughable comments!!!

C'ville Native April 13th, 2013 | 9:59am

The "death threats" were never reported to the police, probably his paranoia? Guilt will do that to you.

I do agree that his ability to "pick and choose" his days is insane. No other convict (and he is one) is allowed to pick and choose like that.

Angel Eyes April 13th, 2013 | 12:12pm

"Native" is talking through his hat...
People given the option of serving a jail sentence non-sequentially get to "pick and choose" all the time; it's what the arrangement is all about, that a person is allowed to fulfill work and family obligations such as he has while serving his time incrementally. I've had employees who've had 30 day DUI sentences (no, not first time offenders) who have done things just like Dumler as regards serving their sentences.

Pam April 13th, 2013 | 12:25pm

Only in C'Ville can you pick and choose your jail days to be convenient to your personal schedule. What kind of BS is that? He needs to serve 30 consecutive days! Another example of how sexual assault is not a crime to those in charge........

WhoaNelly April 13th, 2013 | 1:20pm

@wake up...Nice of you to find time and comment...lol

Gasbag Self Ordained Expert April 13th, 2013 | 2:42pm

Pretty sad when a Lt. Col doesn't even know how to spell a judge's last name.

Pam April 13th, 2013 | 6:08pm

This is Sexual Assault Awareness month for the military. Are there any public documents showing that the military has actually been notified of his conviction? The military will not take action unless they are officially notified. I can't believe they are turning a blind eye to this matter. There is a JAG unit at UVA - the Commandant there should be notified and asked to work it through his Chain of Command.

Tink April 13th, 2013 | 10:11pm

His hair is a little too long for a weekend warrior. And the facial hair won't fly, either.....

Amanda April 15th, 2013 | 1:20am

There may be 18 or so days until the next BOS meeting, but that's hardly all that's required of Dumler to do his jobs.

Every week, supervisors field questions and requests from their constituents, help them with problems, and are seen in and around the community as representatives of the county.

For Scottsville Magisterial District citizens, they effective has no representation this week. Their supervisor is inaccessible; locked up in the county pokey, unable to meet, take a phone call, answer an e-mail, or otherwise serve them as Dumler was elected and is paid to do.

Were they notified by Dumler or county government about his extended absence? Were arrangements made with any other supervisor/s to handle SMD matters this week while Dumler is staying at the gray bar hotel?

At least he'll be out of jail to celebrate his 28th birthday on April 22. Ladies, I'd stay let him celebrate stag, if I were you.

Bill Marshall April 15th, 2013 | 8:28am

Amanda, are you sure he has no communicatin with the outside world? Is he allowed email or an occasional phone call with assistants to check in?

If another supervisor went away on a ten day cruise to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversasry would you bust on them and try and get them fired?

I don't think there will be any Benghazi style attacks in Esmont or we will need Dumler free to talk somebody down from jumping off the bridge in Scottsville.

This just eats you up alive. People like you are why we needed a Constitution in the first place.

Bill Marshall April 15th, 2013 | 11:00am

Jessica, its called equal protection under the law.

He didn't cheat the system. You are encouraging the system to cheat to give him retribution to satisfy your primal needs.

Another update-- this one on the now-suspended police investigation of threats against Dumler. --Lisa Provence

Liberalace April 15th, 2013 | 12:52pm

The gunfire situation was just more narcissism from a sad individual. The fact that Neff, Grisham, et. al. tied their pet party's fortune to some alleged wunderkind without knowing his real background speaks more to their character than to Dumler's. For Dumler, we can just watch his act and realize how snookered the folks of southern Albie must feel.

Now let's pretend--for the sake of argument--that Dumler really did hear gunshots at his rented home in southern Albie. He thought they were an ominous warning or threat to him? Does he know so little about the district he represents that he reacts to gunshots in the area by assuming death threat...has he not heard dozens of rounds fired in the woods of rural Virginia? How out of touch must he be.

Or was this a convenient way to avoid a meeting and try a sympathy ploy while at the same time eating up resources of a police department that he, as a county official, should know is stretched to the limits personnel-wise? Convenient isn't it...mysterious gunshots and no vehicle, no description. Nothing that would risk his being accountable for initiating an investigation into a bogus claim.

What a wonderful chap we have in our midst.

R.I.P.: Jonathan Winters

Catie April 15th, 2013 | 2:04pm

Thanks for the updates, Lisa! Your persistence paid off. Glad Dumler's various death threat allegations have finally been debunked. Guess we can cancel the pity-poor-Dumler party.

LOL. First his claims that his victims were just women-scorned and out to get him fell flat - and thus he lost the motions he filled to squash the search warrant. Now it turns out there's no foundation to his alleged death threats. Dumler really should give up trying to play the victim card.

Now, Lisa - please look into why Dumler got permission to change his jail sentence from all weekends (except for 1st of month) to a 9 day straight stretch? Is this a regular occurrence for criminals to be able to manipulate their sentence to suit their own purposes, or is Dumler getting special treatment and why?

This is really something the community has a right to know. Thanks, Lisa!

Amanda April 15th, 2013 | 2:06pm

@Bill: A ten-day anniversary cruise is not imposed by a court as punishment with restrictions on communication. Dumler does not carry a laptop in or out of jail with him each week, and I doubt he has one in his "cell" or can use the one in the jail office.

Jail is like that, Bill. You lose freedom and privileges. You don't have free access to the internet or telephones. Do you think a constituent can sign in as a guest? I doubt it.

But, by all means, continue as one of the recognizable and very rare Dumler defenders, no matter how foolish you may look in doing so.

tired April 15th, 2013 | 3:15pm

No internet acces, security issues, phone calls going out (at posted times) not coming in. Need to made collect phone calls. No special treatment, main reason, once one detainee is allow special treatment, they all get it...... Dumler is just a predator who know how to use the system for his use. Very tired of this predator. The question is "what hold does he have over the Democrat party in county and city?

Bill Marshall April 15th, 2013 | 3:29pm

So if one of the other supervisors falls into a 10 day coma are they going to come out joblless?

He only thing he is REQUIRED toi do is attend meetings and vote or abstain. He is not REQUIRED to be accessible 24 /7.

I am not defending Dumler I am defending the rule of law which too many selfish arrogant people in this town do because they are upset that they didn't get the retribution from the courts that they desired.

The law worked and you can't stand it. Too bad.

deny April 15th, 2013 | 4:13pm

It is clear that this man's critics are obsessed with sex and will do anything to destroy this man completely if they can. What does the girl say about complete destruction? Does she support this approach? But this is Charlottesville, controlled by hysterical females and their minions.

Earl Smith April 15th, 2013 | 4:16pm

It seems to me everyone is concerned about the "deals" CD is making behind everyone's back with his jail sentence. Being a restaurant owner and manager I can say I have worked with my share of folks who had a "second" home on the weekends due to some kind of crime. The weekend system is made so these people can continue on with their lives and responsibilities while serving their time. There are still hoops to jump through and if one thing goes wrong they find themselves no longer in the weekend loop. As long as they follow the agreement and do not create additional trouble, the option is open to change just by asking. This system goes for all of us, not just CD. He just happens to know the system a lot better than the rest of us but even he was denied in changing the time of his check in to avoid possible protesters or "death threats". As a southern Albemarle County resident since 76', I have heard gunshots at least twice a week from all directions all year long. Now that's a lot of "death threats!". If CD actually heard gunshots and feared for his safety then why didn't he report it at that time? Why did the police dept. have to track him down for a statement? In my opinion this exaggeration goes along with the ridiculous amount of $100 grand, oops I mean $45K, oops again, I mean $40K for his defense against the forcible sodomy crime. The same crime he swore he was innocent of and the women were out to get him. Seems to be a credibility issue forming here. Personally I think Cynthia Neff is the culprit behind the "death threat" issue because she was the first to mention it and then changed her tune in a later interview. Why CD ran with it goes back to his propensity for exaggeration of facts. As for the plea deal, that is part of our legal system and his choice and that's all I have to say on that.

Cvillian April 15th, 2013 | 8:58pm

@Bill Marshall - Everything you say about the Dumler situation is the law-the law-the law. What about the victims? You and Dumler want so much to focus on the process, but the victims voices get drowned out. Please everyone, remember the victims. The law doesn't always protect the victims. That's why there are protesters, and commenters and posters and bloggers. In a 21st century world, even the newsies are beat to the story by tweets and facebook posts. Hide behind "the law" all you want Bill Marshall Dumler, the same law that legalized slavery, prevented women from voting, prevented gay couples from marrying, until of course the laws were changed. When the law that applies to Dumler is changed (next session guaranteed) it WILL be called the Dumler Law and will be carried to Richmond by Charlottesville area legislators. There will NEVER be another Dumler-style situation again in Virginia after that. Women have the right to full protection under the law and an elected official should have no right to stay in office after such a crime. So Bill Marshall Dumler, there is something we agree on. We look forward to the U S Army's decision on the Dumler investigation. They have much different rules that allow for discharge.

Stick together girls. No matter the judge's decision(s) in April and May, this battle is far from over.

Ponce de leon April 15th, 2013 | 9:34pm

"Stick together girls. No matter the judge's decision(s) in April and May, this battle is far from over."

.... and you wonder why people are defending the legal process as more important than than the man or the victims.

....... suppose your kid threw a rock through a window and killed an old man and the judge let him plead to vandilism instead of manslaugter... would you be okay with people taunting your kid for the rest of his life because the prosecuter cut a deal?

........ suppose you were having sex with your ex boyfriend and he changed his mind about it and had you arrested for sexual assault. would you be okay with your kids being taken away because of it?

Swords cut both ways.

I would doubt very seriously if the law will be changed next session. It is a good law as it stands. We have hard enough time finding worthwhile people to run for office without chasing them away with laws that allow crazy zealots to set them up with misdemeanors.

.......

Roger_O_Vernout April 15th, 2013 | 10:33pm

Hate to say I told you so.

There was NO death threat. Dumler and Neff trumped it up. I hope someone will follow up with this, as filing a false report is a serious matter. "No evidence" the police said. The investigation is "suspended". We have a right to know exactly what Dumler said when he filed a "death threat" 5 days after the media heard about it. Did he file a "death threat" complaint or not? On what grounds? Did he say someone actually shot "at" his house, or did he just "hear" gunfire? This goes again to Dumler's level of trustworthiness and is consistent with his manufactured stories. If he does go to court, his exaggerations and lies will certainly be brought up to cast doubt on his veracity. There was "no" investigation at the time he said he couldn't comment because of an investigation. The public has a right to know what Dumler said in his complaint as he is an elected official who used the death-threat excuse to cancel a presentation he was making AS a Supervisor.

Cvillian April 15th, 2013 | 10:46pm

Roger, quit gloating. Everyone knew there was no death threat.

Remember, it's the women as victims that is most important.

Cvillian April 15th, 2013 | 10:55pm

Ponce, a Supervisor can already be removed for misdemeanors. Women sexual abuse victims are not crazy zealots, they are victims. The Dumler situation will insure that misdemeanor sexual battery and other crimes too will be added to the statute. We have been working hard to get bi-partisan support, and we have it. Dumler has seen to that.

Ponce de leon April 15th, 2013 | 11:11pm

Well you don't have mine. I don't want my ELECTED official to be able to be run out of office because some crazy woman decides she doesn't like his politics and makes a false claim aginst a politician to force him out of office against the voters wishes. You cannot be trusted with that kind of power as your comments here have proven. I don't think you will get the law passed.

Now if you want to lobby for a simple recall for any reason whatsover with significant signatures from the electorate then I am okay with that. But what you are proposing gives too much power to people who would be able to abuse it to get "even" (whatever the hell that might happen to be)

Roger you don't know whether there was a death threat anymore than you "know" what went on in that bedroom that started this whole mess. Prove there was no death threat. Prove there was no gunshot. Yeah they happen every day BUT do they happen outside your house every NIGHT?

not buyin' it April 15th, 2013 | 11:34pm

Don't forget, Roger also "knew" that both Ponce and Bill Marshall were Dumler posting under fictitious names.

Curious April 16th, 2013 | 9:18am

Wondering when we can move past the wookie photo

Real Men Don't Rape April 16th, 2013 | 9:20am

Ponce de leon - shut your loathsome pie-hole! Back to blaming the victim again, with a good does of partisan politics thrown in, eh. "Some crazy woman" "makes a false claim" because "she decides she doesn't like his politics".?! You are beyond delusional. Guess the other two complainants known to the state of Virginia were also lying too, right? So that's three women found from the original crime. And the other couple women who've spoken out on social media, huh? All lying; all just out to get Chris? Right.

These victims tell an eery, similar situation how Dumler likes to sexually subjugate and hurt them while establishing his dominance. That's what RAPISTS do, Ponce. But then you know that very well, don't you?

Because rape is not about sex, or love. It's about power, and control, dehumanizing, humiliating and hurting another person; all because of hate.

You Dumler/rape defenders are vile.

Bill Marshall April 16th, 2013 | 12:21pm

So Bill Clinton was not fit to be president because of all the numerous women who came forward and said he made advances on them that would be misdemeanor sexual assault in Virginia? Is Bill Clinton a rapist who hates women? Don't think you could sell that idea at a dollar store.

Virginia Pollack April 16th, 2013 | 12:47pm

Dear Downtown Brown,

You are correct, repeated mistreatment of women should never be tolerated and really makes Chris Dumler not a good fit for office. One should never demean nor bully victims of sexual abuse as it prevents other women from coming forward. That woman could be your wife, your daughter, or your mother. So Mr. de Leon, please tread lightly on the victims. This falls very badly on the ears of the women who read these news articles and the comments addressed to them. Please remember that women feel very differently about these issues than men. We suffer with the victims, you know.

Angel Eyes April 16th, 2013 | 12:57pm

There will never be a "Dumler Law" get through the legislature. This may be a big deal for a small number of angry women and self righteous putzes here in Alblamov County, but it's nada elsewhere. Just wait; you'll see.

Updated yet again April 16 with the court filings in the Dumler removal-from-office petition. -- Lisa Provence

downtown brown April 16th, 2013 | 3:29pm

@ Lisa, please tell me why my comment was taken down. No foul language, nothing more said about Dumler than any other comment here, and certainly not taking directed shots at other commenters. If it was for typing POS then you folks editing this thing are so hypocritical in what you'll allow I can't even believe it.

Chris Dumler's believability is zero. His death threat claim has been debunked. He said he would mount a "vigorous defense" and folded and plead guilty. He said the woman he sexually battered was out to get him, then when two women said they were sodomized he said that they teamed up to conspire against him, then when three women said the same thing, he had to give up his charade. He-said-she-said turned in to he-said a whole bunch of shes said! He said he received a death threat in the form of a gunshot. They (the police) said we find no evidence. There is not one shred of evidence anywhere that supports any of Dumler's claims. Period! Some witness he will make!

Hey Chris, they believed the women and not you. Now they believe the police and not you.

Bill Marshall April 17th, 2013 | 12:17pm

Cvilllian, are you willing to allow your female friends to go to jail for resexing the ex? If some ex girlfriend gets her ex boyfriend all drunk and has sex with him he can change his mind the next day and say he was sexually assaulted. His "word" should be as good as any woman who wants to file a complaint without corrabaorating evidence.

Remember "equal protections" go both ways.

Liberalace April 17th, 2013 | 4:02pm

"Corrabaorating"?

If you paid so little attention in spelling class and grammar lessons, think so little of this great nation's official language that you do not even keep a dictionary by your side when writing, how seriously should we take your posts?

Bill, you are forgetting one thing: Dumler admitted to sexual battery. He IS guilty by his own admission and by the rule of law and the judge's decision that he is guilty. Dumler, and you, stand by the law. Suck it up Marshall. You can't have it both ways. There is a real sexual batterer and a real victim. period. No question and no doubt. Period. It has been decided. End of story. You have the same credibility as Dumler: NONE! Defending a sexual abuser of women AFTER he has been convicted is beyond insensitive.

Women, if you have ever been victimized, please pay no attention to the men who would justify such crimes against women. They are as bad as the rapists themselves. They would rub salt in the wounds of the abused. They would have you doubt your abuse and your ability to receive justice. Never let that happen. Never!

WhoaNelly April 17th, 2013 | 10:50pm

Bill never implied that he “justified crimes against women", sounds like somebody's got a bee in her bonnet.

Bill Marshall April 18th, 2013 | 8:02am

Cvillian, Why don't you answer the question? Are you willing to have a law on the books that is so powerful that a MAN can have his ex girlfriend arrested because she met up with him at a party and took him home and resexed him when he was drunk and he regretted it the next day? Do you want that jilted girlfriend to be labled a "sexual batterer" for life because she took advantage of him when he was drunk? I don't. I want adults to act ike adults and when things go too far we press charges but that is not what you seem to want. You want any woman to be able to have her word taken as gospel when there are two sides to every story. Dumler did admit to crossing the line and is paying legally and certainly personally. You want more. I don't, not because I care about Dumler but I don't want to live in a world where scorned women can use the courts to make up crap and put people in jail or ruin them for life without EVIDENCE. So I expect women to step up when the crime occurs the same as someone who is robbed or beaten up. The law may give you the right to wait and that IS your choice but the same lawbooks require EVIDENCE and women wait at their own peril. I don't think a judge or jury should give people like you the right to wait for years and then step forward without evidence and lock somebody up on your say so. Make reporting rape easier and respectful and discreet. Throw the book at every guy you can easily convict with strong evidence. fine. But don't relax the laws to give scorned women the right to draw blood because they were dumped. It is wrong and it is not constituional.

I don't care about Dumler but I don't want people going to jail because they made an assumption about how freaky someone else is in bed and it turned out wrong. I am not saying that is what happened here but the way you want the laws intrepreted that is what can very easily happen.

.... and Liberalace... I am a product of the C-ville schools and was spending most of my time in classrooms full of cretins who prevented learning and teachers who gave up trying because the "system" was too politically correct to do anything about it. Plus I am typing fast so I can get back to the porn sites.

Cvillian April 18th, 2013 | 8:35am

Uh, Bill, you were the one who said if you don't like the law, change it, otherwise Dumler did what he did and the law as written now takes care of the issue and so on. I did not answer your question because it does not apply to the Dumler case currently, and these issues will be brought up in Richmond later. Trust me, it's going there with bipartisan support. Know why? Because it's a shame that Dumler could have been removed for smoking a doobie, but not for sexual battery. My answer, BTW, is yes. The law should apply equally to all sexes.

And Bill, dear Bill, darling Bill, you are so clueless when it comes to women, as a group. You have already determined that Dumler was innocent with your comments, set up by his scorned lovers and that he was only guilty of what? Rough sex? Kinkiness? No Bill. She said no, no, and no. She screamed. She was not drunk. The woman and the other women have testified in public and to the police what happened. It constituted a real crime, not some trumped up charge.

Bill, this is why there are laws, and then there are judges and juries. Let the process work you admonished me once. Well, let it. We have the guilty party in jail. We will have a "Dumler Law" in effect by next year. The Teapublicans are supporting it because it looks "tough on crime" (their mantra) and the Democrats are supporting it because it actually supports victims (women and men and children!!!!) primarily. You can rant all you want, but it will do you little good unless you go to Richmond and testify before the General Assembly. The current members of the General Assembly from our local area went through an "Oh Shit" moment when they realized a person like could not be removed under the current statute. Watch and learn.

Bill Marshall April 18th, 2013 | 9:39am

Cvillian the fact that you won't answer my question because it does not apply to the "Dumler case directly" shows your narrowmindness in this matter. You don't seem to grasp how easy it is to have someone convicted of sexual battery. So if you get a teabagger elected and don't like him an ex can make a claim and out he goes. So the electorate is now at the mercy of a woman scorned. No thank you. You may be able to get the law through because there are too many people who don't appreciate the importance of protecting the electorate and the process but hopefully cooler heads will prevail.

Expecting women to take responsibility to help society protect them does not make me an advocate for sexual battery or even a mysoginist, it makes me prgmatic and I would bet my suggestions would do more good then your proposed changes in the law ever would.

Cvillian April 18th, 2013 | 10:50am

Bill, if you would just slow down and read what I said, instead of dismissing me out-of-hand like that, you would see that I answered your question very deliberately. So here it is again, copied from my response, above: "My answer, BTW, is yes. The law should apply equally to all sexes. "

You wrote: "So if you get a teabagger elected and don't like him an ex can make a claim and out he goes." That can go on even now, and it does. Remember the false charges against the NJ congressman who was said to have been visiting prostitutes in the islands? How about the Duke lacrosse players? You and I could go on and on about false accusations. That does NOT diminish the need to have a law that says a politician convicted of certain crimes, crimes determined and to-be-determined by the General Assembly, can be removed for those crimes should that politician be found guilty. The Dumler case has awakened the Assembly to this problem. As one local delegate said, we don't have the law on the books because we haven't needed it heretofore. When a politician has been found guilty of these charges, they have just resigned. That is why you WILL see the law on the books. Rant on and on all you want Bill, the law will be passed. Its constitutionality is not in question.

I really DO think you are a legal pragmatist, Bill, and I see your point about how the law might be misused. I hope to see you in Richmond!

Bill Marshall April 18th, 2013 | 11:25am

Cvillian, There are two issues here. one is how far a persons "word" and word alone should go in putting another person in jail and the second whether an elected official should be forrced pout of office fr a misdemeanor sex offense.

First, I think evidence is required beyond one persons "word". Cut and dry.

Second I am against the forced resignation for any behavior that has nothing to do with the politics of the voters, but for a law that allows voters to recall any elected official at any time with substantial hurdles.

I don't think your version wiull pass because the Tea party folks are constituionaslists and won't vote for it, democrats are all for gay rights and don't want an elected official thrown out because he had gay sex in a public restroom, most men will be agianst it because they have read many things like some of the females on here have written and realize the can of worms that is and lastly, and the reason they will all reject it and get away with it is because they will say it will discourage good people from running for office.

Cvillian April 18th, 2013 | 2:24pm

Bill, it will discourage BAD people from running for office. You make good points and point out challenges, but the women who lobby for this will prevail. Bank on it.

Bollocks April 19th, 2013 | 1:10am

Never before have I seen a community so entrenched in headhunting via personal affairs. With the same level of rock solid "evidence" that was presented in this series of events, I could just as easily claimed to have been raped by any public official from Florida to Hawaii, and with enough corroboration could have wrecked any number of political careers.

I have to give credit to this well thought-out political strategy to get Dumler removed from office. Find the newest county elect with the shortest track record, bait him with the intention of later accusing him of rape, and then exploit the situation through every possible media source, dashing in additional "victims" as media coverage begins to sizzle out. That way you get the conservatives and liberal support on your side, touché.

Even in light of these suspicious accusations, I am ashamed on behalf of humankind to think that so many people buy into emotional accusations blindly like this. I know that rape is a serious matter, but you have to remain skeptical when it results in he-said-she-said games. It takes two to tango, and the only witnesses to this incident were the accuser and the accused, so there is no place for a third party to draw conclusions accurately. Let's be honest- every man will have the golden opportunity to walk on eggshells when it's against an infallible woman's word. I guess when a woman cries "rape", we all perk up our ears and pull out our pitchforks. Blindly joining the angry mob has led to some of America's most reprehensible acts in history.

This was a trial-by-media from the day it started, and I can't blame a single action that Dumler has taken in desperately trying to protect his name and continue to do his job as thoroughly and honestly as possible. I have no doubt that his "lost supporters" never gave him support from day one- they're likely associated with the Tea Party and have been waiting for an opening to damage any opposing politician's image in a disgusting maneuver to gain political traction. We are watching a derailed politician desperately trying to resume working in his community, a community that is far more concerned with one's sex life than their dedicated communal involvement. Way to kick the man when he's down.

When his term ends, I can only hope that Dumler vacates Albemarle like a witch out of Salem. Who would want to try to improve a community that has such low standards of evidence as Albemarle does? If you eventually get your way and squeeze a conservative back into that vacant seat, I can only expect that they will do a much poorer job than your current supervisor has been desperately trying to do for the past 6 months if it weren't for all the damn media covering jail time and the latest "I've been raped too" accusations, he might actually be able to stop focusing on defending himself and be able to get some real work done. Be wary of what you asked for. Conservative politician views are totally in favor of equal women's rights, amirite? We know all the other minority groups have been proud of how you've lent them a helping hand in their struggle for civil rights and equality.

Good luck, Albemarle. Your backwards community will certainly need it in the years to come. I hope you sooner get off your moral high horse and let this guy get back to work than you have spent thinking about the possibility that this entire scandal is utter nonsense. Shame on the lot of you.

Bill Marshall April 19th, 2013 | 9:22am

Cvillian,

No one with integrity is stupid enough to place themselves in a postion where people whoi think like you can bring them down with just an unsubstaniated allegation.

The Electorates rights to elect whomever they want to represent therm is paramount to our society and form of government. As much as I dislike Marion Barry those people had the right to reeelct him even after he was caught smoking crack and taking bribes. No one should be able to stop "the people" from having the voice they choose in that chair.

I don't care about Dumler but I care about the process and it IS more important than the retribution for one person.

I do not think your changes wil pass and I don't think Dumler will be removed. The Law is on his side as it should be.

If the Judge thinks otherwise I won't say he was cheated. I will say the law ran its course.
But at least with the petition the law was followed. All the scorned women out there who want to stab him with pitchforks because some guy jilted them can cry a river till it floods the downtown mall for all I care. They are just selfish to put their needs ahead of the populace and that is wrong.

But most of them have moved onto something else.... maybe some "man" tuned up their car and left a grease smudge on the carpet and they want a free car.

chaleaux12 April 19th, 2013 | 9:25am

Bollocks nailed it. This publication and the others in this town are all operated and/or edited by females. This is where their obsession with sex takes us.

Cvillian April 19th, 2013 | 10:50am

Men! When will you all realize NO means NO! If you are so sensitive to being unduly charged with a sex crime, be impeccable in your sexual activities! We are taking this to Richmond. It's your government too, so c'mon, let's show the people what Democracy is all about. Since this is a Republic, I'm taking the battle one representative at a time. The old fashioned way. What are you cry babies going to do? Post in The Hook? Whine whine whine. Man up! No one likes whiny men.

Bill Marshall April 19th, 2013 | 1:18pm

Cvillian what does "no means no" have to do with it? We get that. That has nothing to do with whether or not a person should be removed from office because he was convicted of any misdemenaor that has no direct impact on his ability to do the job they were elected to do. If a guy commits any felony he is gone. That is where the line is drawn and it worked fine for 100 years. Now that you see a case that gets you upset you are willing to put the whole system at risk over something that will probaly not come up for another 100 years,

Your efforts would probably have more impact if you spent them telling women that they should say "no. stop" and if the guy does not stop then say STOP, THIS IS RAPE. That statment alone would probably stop 95% of the frat boy types in their tracks. It would also give credibilty to the accusation when they have to go to the police.

Or you can can go to Richmond and try and make it so any future Dumlers would have to resign in the unlikley event that another incident like this occurred.

Your call.

Bollocks April 19th, 2013 | 4:57pm

By the way, how can the allegations of death threats via gunshots be "disproven"? Do you search the entire yard for empty rounds, test for gun powder residue on the wet grass or look for bullet holes in the clouds? I love that the media has the distorted perception that all unproven positives are automatically negatives. The incident itself is very possible given a tumultuous community and while I don't wish any harm to Dumler or anybody else for that matter, I wouldn't be suprised if some ignorant fool tries to take matters of justice into his or her own hands over an issue that they have a strong opinion of.

Cvillian April 20th, 2013 | 10:57am

Bill, that really is an excellent idea, and a notion not currently promoted well, re: "Stop! This is rape".

Thank you for that.

Roger_O_Vernout April 20th, 2013 | 12:23pm

@Bollocks
The point about the gunfire/death threat fandango of Dumler's is that he says stuff that IS unproven. This is yet one more case where there is no evidence to back up his claims.

Roger, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. The claims may never be able to be proven, but I was upset at the attack sites for claiming that his allegations were therefore false, which is an outright logical fallacy and dishonest as well. The only logical stance to take is indifference, which is how I have stood on this entire matter since the beginning. It's not difficult to imagine people sending death threats to Dumler given their reaction to the allegations, so that's why I haven't ruled it out myself.

Ponce de Leon April 21st, 2013 | 10:45pm

So Roger is saying that if Dumler made an accusation that a crime occurred and had zero physical evidence to back it up then that means no crime occurred?

cause the irony is unmistakable if you replace Dumlers name with his victims name...

Does HE not deserve the beneift of the doubt or is that rule just for women?

Roger_O_Vernout April 24th, 2013 | 2:41pm

I agree with you paddy. Dumler makes about $22K from the taxpayers and whatever he earns as a lawyer, which can't be much. He's fighting for his financial life right now for if he loses his $15K a year as a supe and the $7K+ he makes as a JAG officer, there goes the foundation of his income. Maybe he can be a self-employed brewer or restauranteur, but I can't see a bunch of perps coming to him for legal defense. He couldn't even keep himself out of jail on what he implied were trumped up charges.